


Say It Again

by hawkeyedpeas (pandacowhipster)



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: 5+1 Things, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-10
Updated: 2016-01-10
Packaged: 2018-05-12 22:03:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,702
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5682430
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pandacowhipster/pseuds/hawkeyedpeas
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cisco comes up with a new set of nicknames for Barry</p>
            </blockquote>





	Say It Again

The first time it happens, it’s actually just an exhaustion fueled slip of the tongue.  


Cisco’s been up all night working on some device Barry doesn’t quite understand. All he knows is that it’ll short out the powers of the meta currently terrorizing the city. Barry’s up with him because while he doesn’t make the best engineering assistant, he figures Cisco could still use the company.

“Almost done,” Cisco mumbles, checking over the small metal box in his hands, “can you hand me the screwdriver, bae?”  


Cisco seems to catch what he said the same time Barry does because they share a confused look.

Cisco shakes himself, “I must be more tired than I thought.”

Barry feigns offense, “are you saying I’m not your bae?”

“Never, you’re a delight. But, I was aiming for ‘Bear’. I think the sleep deprivation’s officially kicked in.”

“In that case,” Barry says, gently taking the device from Cisco, “why don’t I take you home so you don’t accidentally blow something up.”  


Cisco yawns, “good idea.”

\--

They’re in the cortex and Barry and Caitlin are listening to Cisco wax poetic about the upcoming season of his favorite show. At least, Barry assumes it’s his favorite with the way he’s going on about it.

“--such a good protagonist, like you root for her so much. Seriously, I can’t wait till next month, I miss my bae.”

Barry pouts, “I thought I was your bae.”

Cisco laughs, “don’t worry, you still my number one boo. Which is why we’re gonna marathon season one together.”

Barry shrugs and high fives him while Caitlin just gives them one of her affectionate eye-rolls.

After that, it becomes sort of a habit--Cisco jokingly calling him pet names, Caitlin looking at them like they’re her favorite idiots, and Barry enjoying it maybe a little too much.

He think it’s just because none of the people he’s dated have ever really done it. Plus he’s always kind of enjoyed being Cisco’s blatant favorite.

\--

Barry realizes he has a problem about the time he hits the wall.

It’s been an incredibly slow month so he and Cisco are fighting boredom by testing the weirder uses of Barry’s powers. Right now he’s running backwards on the treadmill. It’s going much better than the last time he tried and he’s actually approaching his normal speeds.

“I still think you should try walking on your hands,” Cisco says, spinning lazily in a chair.  


“I can’t do that at normal speeds,” Barry says.  


“That’s the point, your super speed’s kinda wearing down my toys.”  


Barry gives an overly dramatic gasp, “are you admitting there’s limitations to your tech?”

“I’m just saying, even my gear can only take but so much super heroics,”  Cisco says pleadingly, “be gentle, babe.”  


Barry flies into the stack of boxes behind the treadmill.

“Whoa, are you okay dude?”  


Barry lets out a low groan, partly from the pain of impact, and partly from the memory of how his stomach flipped at Cisco calling him ‘babe’,

“Barry?” Cisco’s standing over him with a hand out. He helps Barry to his feet and gives him a quick once over, “you good? What happened?”

“Tripped,” Barry says, because it’s the most plausible thing he can think of quickly.  


Cisco laughs, “that’s what you get for being a showboat.”

He’s right, Barry’s pretty sure he’s brought this on himself.

\--

"Yo, can you call my phone?” Barry asks, “I can’t find it.”

Cisco doesn’t look up from where he’s typing at his computer, “here, speed dial 2,” he pulls his phone out, unlocks it without looking and holds it out in Barry’s general direction.

“Thanks,” Barry says, he presses two and hits call. He forgets to put it up to his ear to make sure it went through because he’s stuck on the contact name that pops up on the screen  


_Calling: The Bae_

He’s startled by his phone ringing across the room, he races over and grabs it. He ends the call and hands Cisco his phone back.

After a very minor freak out--that Cisco is thankfully paying zero attention to--he just says, “The Bae?”  


“All my contacts have nicknames,” Cisco says, “Cait’s Snowflake, Kendra’s Tweety, Felicity’s Twin--”  


“You have Felicity’s number?”  


Cisco shrugs, still hunched over his computer, “we text.”

“About what?”  


“Nerd shit, dumb stuff our respective heroes have done lately.”  


Barry’s not sure if Cisco realizes he just equated their relationship to Oliver and Felicity’s. Barry however, is very aware. Felicity has all the luck, when she pined over someone it actually worked out for her. Meanwhile, here Barry is aggressively overthinking a nickname, while Cisco hasn’t even bothered to make eye contact with him in an hour.

-

Barry doesn’t realize it’s weird until it happens in front of Iris.

It’s Joe’s birthday and Cisco has offered to make his allegedly famous chili, Barry and Iris are in the kitchen helping him. Well, telling him where everything is and occasionally getting their hands swatted when they get too close the delicious smelling pot on the stove.

“Okay, it’s nearly ready,” Cisco says, opening their spice cabinet, “where do you guys keep the garlic salt?”  


Barry comes up behind him and grabs it off the top shelf, “right here.”

“Thanks, boo,” Cisco says, going back to the stove and adding it to the pot, “could’ve reached it myself, though.”  


“Never said you couldn’t,” Barry says, smiling. He turns and sees Iris with her eyebrow raised about as high as it’ll go. He looks from her to Cisco and back and shrugs, not sure how to explain “ _it’s not what it looks like, also I’m getting kind of bummed it isn’t”_ , with Cisco standing right there.

He resorts to falling back on how they used to communicate things to each other back when Joe would ground them if he knew what they were up to. He makes a harsh abortive gesture,  _“if you say anything I’ll kill you.”_

She points sharply at him before tapping the back of her wrist, _“not if I kill you first. We’re talking about this later.”_

Thankfully, the rest of dinner passes without note, Barry’s already dreading his conversation with Iris, he can’t imagine the talk he’d have to have with Joe if Cisco had called him something more affectionate than ‘Bear’ during the night.

Though when he walks Cisco out to his car he does get a “later, babe” and a one armed hug. Which, he doesn’t even get to enjoy, because when he walks back in the house Iris is waiting for him.

“We’re washing the dishes,” she says, offering no argument.  


Barry follows her into the kitchen and leans against the sink, “I can explain.”

Iris crosses her arms, “explain that you and Cisco are apparently ‘boos’ and you didn’t tell me?”  


“That’s not... it’s not like that. We’re not,” he gestures vaguely, “it’s just a joke.”  


Iris’ face softens, “...and you wish it wasn’t?”

“I don’t know,” Barry runs a hand through his hair, “I like it, I like him, I guess I just didn’t realize how much until recently.”  


“Why don’t you say something?”  


Barry’s shoulder sag, “you know that’s not my strong suit.”  


Iris rests her hand on his arm, “Cisco’s literally the sweetest person I know that isn’t named Barry Allen. He cares about you so much, Bear, I don’t know if he feels the same way, but I do know he wouldn’t let it change anything between you guys.”

“Doesn’t make it any easier,” Barry says.  


\--

Admittedly, Barry was initially a little disappointed when Cisco invited him over and led him into his bedroom only to show him his new TV, but it is pretty impressive.

“Dude, the picture’s almost too good,” Barry says. They’re sprawled out on their stomachs on Cisco’s bed, watching some cheesy sci-fi movie, “I feel like I’m the one about to be abducted by aliens.”  


“Hey, I can’t help it if my skills are just to much for your puny mortal eyes.”  


“Wait,” Barry turns toward him, “you _made_ this?”  


“Yeah,” Cisco says, “more fun than buying it.”  


Barry looks at the TV with renewed appreciation, “ _dude_.”

Cisco beams, “again, it is pretty amazing. I might mess around with the one in the living room, but I was also kind of thinking of just giving it away and building a 3D one.”

“You can build a 3D television?”  


Cisco gives Barry flat look, “I invented a gun that shoots liquid gold on some legitimate alchemy shit, and you don’t think I can build a thing that already exists?”

“I don’t know, I just forget how smart you are sometimes.”  


“Seriously?”  


Barry winces, “I mean that you can do practical stuff too.”

“Saving your ass isn’t practical? Good to know.”  


“I’m just digging myself deeper huh?” Barry buries his face in a pillow.  


“Kinda,” Cisco says, patting him on the back, “but I’m also just messing with you.”  


Barry lifts his head, “for real?”

“Sorry, exploiting your chronic foot in mouth disease is too hard to resist.”  


“That’s messed up,” Barry says.  


“Would giving you that big ass TV in the living room when I build my new one make up for it?”  


Barry perks up, “consider yourself forgiven, babe.” He realizes what he just said a second too late to stop it.

Cisco’s eyebrow raises, “I thought nicknames were my thing.”

“Well, yeah...” Barry says, “but, it’s like Vibe, you can’t nickname yourself.”  


Cisco props himself up on his elbows, “you know if we both go around calling each other babe, people might get ideas.”

Barry bites his lip, “would you consider them... bad ideas?”

Cisco looks like he’s trying to hold back a smile, “pretty sure that’s the most indirect way anyone’s ever asked me out.”

“So is that a yes?”  


“Barry, I’m a grown man and I’ve been calling you boo for months. In public. It’s a hell yes.”

“Does this mean you’re gonna stop calling me that?”  


Cisco rolls over so he’s pressed up against Barry’s side, “oh no,” he hooks his chin over Barry’s shoulder, “that one’s for life.”

Barry beams, “yeah?”

Cisco plants a kiss behind Barry’s ear, “you know it boo.”

**Author's Note:**

> catch me on [tumblr](http://queeraang.tumblr.com/)


End file.
